How can a leader avoid lonlieness?

THE TOP DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LONELY

"How do you avoid feeling lonely as a chief executive?" That is a very interesting question and a very difficult one to answer.

I myself had to learn first what the options were.

At first, I also had to deal with the transition from being part of a team to taking on a leadership role where I was the only person in charge and had no colleagues beside me...

...to share ideas or responsabilities with.My experience has taught me that there are several ways.

A way, an effective way for me was to build support networks and connections,to find people at a similar level to share ideas with, discuss topics, difficulties, and challenges,so that we could work together on solutions.

Another thing that always helps me is going back to my family.

To me, my family and partner are essential.They give me a lot of feedback and the strength I need to keep going,to get back out there and make my own decisions,or simply manage the team and the organisation.

What I also recommend is having a coach.I find this crucial,because you need someone to talk to and share things, experiences and anecdotes.

And sharing and talking is always better than doing everything by yourself.

And for me, that was a game changer.About five years ago,I started working with a coach specialised in business to talk about some situations and prepare myself for them,so I could also build up an emotional safety net.

And...The last point I also find essential is the matter of personality development.pThere's always the question: "How do I approach things?" If I go around with the mindset: "I am all alone at the top," then I will feel that way, and I'll indeed be alone up there.

But if I take the mindset that I am the leader,and perhapts at the top,yet still part of the team, working through it,with many people I can rely on. That makes a huge difference.

And in my experience, the way you look at things is the game changer.

You also made a comparison......with being parents and how conflicts at home and how conflicts at home relate to conflicts, for instance, at work.

Exactly. Something that always helps in situations of conflict,because then i'ts especially tough, when you feel:"Alright, I have to go through this alone and endure it by myself." I always put things in perspective and think about the issues that arise due to family or children in my daily life.

Sometimes they're bigger, sometimes smaller,but they are always important.

For me, that has always been a tool to put things into perspective,to reframe everything a bit and simple taking life less seriously.

And the same goes for my professional life.Experience shows that you can't please everyone.

That shouldn't be the goal either,and eventually, one can learn to take things more calmly.

But all that you learn through experience.